You'll be the death of me
by vault dweller 12
Summary: A sequel to Mad Friends, 2 years have passed since Matthew's tragic death and Jennie Jenkins life is finally returning to normal. Or so she thought. After the arrival of a new head of security, the patients behavior drastically changes. Is there a connection with the head of security Lyle Bolton? And who is behind the kidnappings of Gotham's rogues? Full summary inside.


Chapter 1: Arkham…. Arkham never changes

summary:

A sequel to Mad Friends, I strongly suggest reading Mad friends First. Two years have passed since Matthew's tragic death and Jennie Jenkins life is finally returning to normal. Or so she thought. After the arrival of a new head of security, the patients behavior drastically changes. Is there a connection with the head of security Lyle Bolton? And who is behind the kidnappings of Gotham's rogues? Jennie will have to go further then she's ever gone for her patients, even risking her own life to ensure the patients survival. Will she have to undergo this journey alone or will she get help from the person she least expected? The Batman?

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><p>It had been almost two years since Jennie Jenkins, a psychologist at Arkham discovered that her abusive boyfriend Matthew Thompson murdered his fiancée Marie Ann Green. Hadn't it been for her patients, Jennie might have joined the same fate as Marie.<p>

Arkham Asylum, 09.00 A.M.

_Crap._ She was going to be late for her meeting with dr. Leland. Jennie had returned late yesterday night from a conference for personnel who worked with the mentally insane and how to handle them. She ran through the halls, quickly grabbing a donut from the box one of the guards brought with him. She skidded to a halt before doctor Leland's office, quickly catching her breath before entering the office. Doctor Leland was arranging some papers when the door of her office opened and revealed the figure of Jennie Jenkins.

'Jennie, come in.' How was the conference in Metropolis?'

'It was rather interesting doctor Leland, I picked up some new methods that I would like to introduce in the therapy sessions.'

'I'm glad to hear that Jennie and please call me Joan, you don't have to be so formal.'

'As you may have heard Arkham is getting a new chief of security, and the reason why I called for you.' 'I want you to show him around.' 'I would do it myself but I have an important meeting with the board and I think you're more than capable to show him around.'

'I don't know dr.. I mean Joan, are you sure I'm the best person for this?'

'Of course you are, you've been working in Arkham for nearly three years, most doctors who worked here didn't last longer than a year.' ' I have absolute faith in you that you'll show mister Bolton how we work here in Arkham.'

' Come on, I'll introduce you and then you can start with a tour around the facility.'

Doctor Leland escorted Jennie to a small waiting room where a tall, bulky yet muscular man was reading a magazine.

'Mister Bolton, I'd like to introduce you to doctor Jennie Jenkins, she will be showing you around.

'it's nice to meet you mister Bolton.' She offered him a hand shake which he accepted.

'Please call me Lyle and you must be doctor Jenkins, may I call you Jennie?'

'Of course, shall we start with the tour?'

'Yes please lead on.'

'What brings you to Arkham, Lyle?'

'Well, I worked in Blackgate penitentiary before this and one day one of the head funders pays a visit, sees my work there and spontaneously offers me the chance to work in Arkham.'

'Seems you have a lot of experience with Gotham's rogues then.'

'Jennie!' the conversation was suddenly cut of by doctor Johnson who ran up to the two, heavily panting.

'Doctor Johnson?' What..?' Jennie was cut of when she noticed the large amount of blood on dr. Johnsons overcoat, it seemed soaked in blood, not a trace of its former white color was left untouched.

'Not my blood… (gasp)…. Smith's.' 'Joker…. (gasp) escaped.' Killed…( gasp) Smith... (gasp) need help…. The shock was too much for the man, he collapsed unconscious on the floor.

'Mister Bolton, please stay with dr. Johnson, I'm going to offer my help to my colleagues, they'll need everyone they can find right now.' ' We need to inform the authorities straight away and HIM of course.'

With that said Jennie speeded of to the main hall leaving Bolton alone with an unconscious Johnson.

Word had spread throughout Arkham of Joker's escape which had lead to a riot amongst the patients, some even managed to break out of their cells. The situation at hand was too much to handle for the doctors, help was needed. Especially since one of their own had been killed. The GCPD was informed and brought up to date on the recent events in Arkham. With the combined help of the doctors and the police department, peace returned once more to Arkham.

Most of the doctors and guards had gathered in the cafeteria trying to cope with the events that had unfolded in the past hour. Jennie saw that Bolton was sitting alone at a table, away from the main group. She decided to stroll over, god knows she could use a conversation with someone who wasn't with the GCPD or a paramedic checking if she wasn't in shock.

'Hey, mind if I sit with you?' 'I brought some coffee.' She offered him a cup of steaming coffee.

'Thanks.' He noticed she had only brought one cup. 'What about you, you don't have any coffee.'

'I'm more of a tea person myself, one of my patients, Jervis Tetch, drinks nothing but tea and insisted I tried some.' 'I guess you pick up some of the habits of the patients when you work with them for a long period of time.'

Realizing she had misspoken Jennie quickly changed the subject.

'So… quite the first day you had.'

Bolton raised an eyebrow. 'That is quite an understatement, does it happen a lot that patients kill their doctors?'

'Everyone here knows the risks when dealing with the patients and we're trained to react on these kind of situations, but still once in a while something or someone snaps.' 'There are a lot of people here who had their share of close encounters with the patients. ' Take Aaron Cash for instance.' Jennie nodded toward a tall afro-American who had a prostheses on his left hand. 'He got his hand bit of by Killer Croc one day.' ' Some of us are psychically scarred, others mentally.'

'Haven't the people of Gotham suffered enough at the hand of these so called rogues?' 'Why do you and the others still try to cure these freaks, to rehabilitate them and let them live with the rest of us?'

'What kind of a psychiatrist would I be if I didn't believe in a chance to rehabilitate my patients?' 'I wish for them to return to a normal life or rebuild the life they have lost. 'When I talk to them during my sessions I see the person they were in their former lives, before they turned to crime.' ' I must believe I can cure them, most of them anyways.'

'So it's not some personal crusade of yours?' 'Trying to make up for something you can no longer fix?'

'You've done your research, mister Bolton, but I can assure you I had no part in Matthew's death.' 'Matt might not have been a saint but not even he deserved what they did to him.'

'Now if you'll excuse me, it's been a long day and I'm going home to get some rest.' 'I'll see you tomorrow mister Bolton.'

Lyle Bolton shook his head. No matter how hard he tried he would never understand women.


End file.
